So why is it important to find your passion? To be a creator? To cultivate the rage and rapture that can only come from pursuing an idea? For the record, I’m actually not suggesting that you do your passion for your job, as in some cases that can cripple your passion and kill it dead. It doesn’t guarantee happiness or success. Finding a career that utilizes your natural strengths and preferences in a far better predictor of your career satisfaction. That said, I still think it’s important to have a hobby, something you enjoy, that you can do, and maybe eventually that morphs into a job ala Felicia Day.

I’m passionate about movies and books and TV shows and a handful of other passive things. But what I want to encourage here is the development of a passion that is tangible and active. It doesn’t have to be an artistic or creative pursuit, it can be triathlon or volunteer work or gardening or whatever. Personally, I have lately been trying my hand at writing more. A lot more. I don’t have a great record of finishing writing project that I’ve started, I have half a dozen personal writing projects in process and in my entire life I’ve only ever finished one. Completing it felt amazing and I’m reinvigorated to work on (and finish) another of the pieces that have been on indefinite hold.

How am I cultivating this passion in myself? Well I like to learn and read so I am learning more about the craft of creative writing through books and blogs on the subject (and drooling over fancy writing software), focusing on a particular story, becoming devoted to those characters and their lives, in the hopes that I can create something that will reflect how I feel about the world through that lens. In the past I’ve spent time painting, learning tarot cards and writing poetry. The point is that these are ideas I’m developing that then overflow into other parts of my life. Writing gives me energy. I find inspiration in random places and seek out others who inspire me. It takes courage to pursue something you care about, whether that’s a career or an idea or a person. So find that courage in yourself and see where it leads you.

[…] the paradox of choice, and I am a whimsical brat sometimes. I’ve talked before about following your passion, but this is more than that. This is about taking the reins and not letting life pass you by. There […]

[…] haven’t done a lot of writing other than on this blog in almost a year now, despite my musings on pursuing passion (and even this blog has taken a motivational hit recently). Part of it is time and part of it is […]